Board Governance

Transparent, Auditable Leadership

Structure Organisational Architecture

A five-tier governance model ensures accountability flows from the Governance Board through to every working group and membership chapter.

Governance Board
11 elected members
Chairperson
Executive Director
Deputy Chairperson
Executive Director
Head of Policy
Executive Director
Treasurer General
Executive Director
Executive Management
CEO + 5 Managers
Working Groups
10 industry-focused groups
Membership Chapters
4 chapters
Ad-hoc
Advisory Committee
10 external advisors

Subject-matter experts providing independent counsel to the Board on strategic, legal, and technical matters.

Composition Board Member Requirements

Board members are elected based on demonstrated leadership qualities aligned with the Forum's mission to drive STI-led economic transformation.

Requirement Description
Business Leadership Proven track record of leading or growing businesses in science, technology, or innovation sectors
STI Background Deep understanding of science, technology, and innovation ecosystems — academic, commercial, or policy
Extensive Networks Established relationships across government, business, academia, and international organisations
Entrepreneurship Experience Hands-on experience founding, scaling, or investing in entrepreneurial ventures
Passion for Economic Inclusivity Demonstrated commitment to transformation, equity, and broad-based economic participation
Fair Gender Representation Board composition must reflect fair gender balance, ensuring diverse perspectives in decision-making

Management Executive Management Team

The executive team operationalises the Board's strategic vision, managing day-to-day affairs across corporate, policy, stakeholder, and programme domains.

Chief Executive Officer

Overall operational leadership, strategy execution, and external representation of the Forum

Corporate Affairs Director

Communications, brand management, media relations, and corporate social responsibility

Manager: Special Projects

Flagship programme delivery, university partnership coordination, and innovation hub development

Manager: Policy & Advocacy

Government liaison, regulatory monitoring, policy position papers, and public submissions

Manager: Events & Membership

Conference logistics, chapter coordination, member onboarding, and retention programmes

Manager: Stakeholder Engagement

Partnership development, alliance management, and cross-sector collaboration initiatives

Elections Governance Election Cycle

Democratic governance with defined term limits ensures fresh leadership while preserving institutional continuity.

Year 1
Elective Conference
Board elected by membership at triennial conference
→
Year 2
Annual Conference
Progress reports, strategy review, member resolutions
→
Year 3
Annual Conference
Final term reporting, preparing for next election
→
Cycle Resets
New Elective Conference
Max 2 consecutive terms per board member

3-Year Terms

Board members serve three-year terms aligned to the strategic planning cycle

2-Term Maximum

No individual may serve more than two consecutive terms, ensuring leadership renewal

Annual Governance

Annual Conference serves as the supreme governance forum for member resolutions

Documents Governance Artifacts

The Forum's governance is grounded in a comprehensive suite of founding and operational documents, maintained as living records on the digital platform.

  • Business Case — Strategic rationale, market analysis, and value proposition for the Forum's establishment and growth trajectory
  • Memorandum of Incorporation (MOI) — Constitutional framework defining powers, duties, and relationships between governance structures
  • Membership Value Proposition — Documented benefits, fee structures, and engagement pathways for each membership chapter
  • King IV Compliance Framework — Adherence to the King Report on Corporate Governance principles — ethical leadership, stakeholder inclusivity, integrated reporting
  • Annual Integrated Report — Financial statements, governance review, strategic performance metrics, and outlook — presented at Annual Conference
  • Policy Position Papers — Formal submissions to government on STI policy matters, developed through Working Group deliberation and Board approval

Future On-Chain Governance

The Forum is pioneering transparent, verifiable governance through its Accord digital infrastructure — bringing immutable audit trails to organisational decision-making.

Accord — Governance on the Permanent Record

Every board resolution, vote, and set of minutes is recorded on an immutable ledger. Members can independently verify decisions, creating unprecedented transparency for a non-profit governance body.

Board Resolutions
✅
Voting Records
Meeting Minutes

Governance Starts with Trust

Explore how the STI Business Forum builds accountability into every layer of leadership.

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